Corporate law attorney in Port Royal, SC.

PORT ROYAL, S.C. (WSAV) — After decades of the deepest east-coast port sitting idle, and years of back-and-forth settlement agreements after purchase in 2017, the Town of Port Royal and Safe Harbor have officially given a glimpse into the future of a bustling town and marina industry.

On Wednesday night, Safe Harbor presented renderings of a master plan that showed a future design of the Port Royal Waterfront.

Port Royal Mayor Kevin Phillips said this was the first time since Safe Harbor’s purchase of the port that they had received an official and formal plan.

“We’re just really excited to really kind of show the public what we’ve been working on and the kind of the direction we’re headed,” said Phillips. “We’re not redeveloping something. We’re building from nothing.”

Back in February, the town and Safe Harbor officially landed on a settlement agreement which included swapped property and new promised development plans.

It was a several year battle to get to the master plan presented Wednesday night.

Phillips said the town and the Dallas, Texas based marina company went back and forth to find a balance between what both wanted.

Safe Harbor hosted a public forum with residents in the town to show them different phases of what the town calls the Marina Village.

The images showed several acres of vacant waterfront property between Shell Ring Aleworks, Fishcamp on 11^th Street and the current Safe Harbor facility.

The property is looking to be transformed into multiple community open spaces, a waterfront promenade and newly built roads that will interconnect a town center to parks, the water, businesses and more.

Nick Borreggine, the owner of Shell Ring Aleworks in Port Royal, said he came to the area decades ago when the port was still owned by the South Carolina Ports Authority.

“My realtor drove me through the town of Port Royal and said, you should buy a house here because the port’s getting ready to be developed. That was 25 years ago,” he said.

Borreggine said the reason for opening his brewery business in Port Royal was based off the future development that was planned for the town.

“I mean, the whole reason why I’m here, why I’m in that location,” he said.

He noted that seeing an actual plan brought him excitement as a business owner in the growing town.

Safe Harbor is also looking to build what they call a “world class marina.”

The company is currently planning to build several docks, with more planned for the future.

The plans also show a marina parking lot, which will include marina slips and public parking spaces.

Retail and restaurant spaces, and eventually housing, are also included in the plans.

The first phase according to Safe Harbor officials will start with the marina, the parking lot, roads and a central town park.

“First steps is really just going to be building that infrastructure in the marina,” Mayor Phillips said. “And so that’s what you will see first, exactly what date that it will start on. We really don’t know that at this time, but you know, it’s coming.”

The settlement agreement also included a promise by Safe Harbor to continue to meet every three months with town officials and the public to give updates on the project.

As Mayor Phillips said, there is no clear date yet on when construction will start, or a final finished timeline.

By Delayna Earley

The Island News

The holiday season is here, and Beaufort has no shortage of festive events available to help everyone celebrate the season, beginning this week.

On Thursday, Dec. 4 and Friday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m., history comes alive in this interactive full-stage musical about the last Christmas before the Civil War. South Carolina has just seceded from the Union, talk of war is in the air and talk of freedom is spreading among servants in the Quarters. Tickets are available for purchase.

A Night on the Town – Downtown Beaufort

On Friday, Dec. 5, from 6 to 9 p.m. in downtown Beaufort. Kick off the season with music, shopping, holiday treats, performances and Beaufort’s beloved Christmas tree lighting. Beaufort’s downtown streets come alive with cheer – perfect for making memories, strolling under the lights and supporting local shops.

Movie Night Meets Night on the Town – Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park Pavilion

The fourth annual Christmas Double-Feature will begin at 6 p.m. and will end at 9 p.m. and will show the movies Elf and The Grinch.

14th Annual Nativity Celebration – 1201 North Street

On Dec. 5 and 6 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and on Dec. 7 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. the First Presbyterian Church of Beaufort will be holding their 14th Annual Nativity Celebration where they will be celebrating the Christmas story with more than 150 nativities from around the world. All ages are welcome to the free event.

Gullah Taste of Christmas – Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park

On Saturday, Dec. 6, beginning at 11 a.m., at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park guests will be able to taste authentic Gullah cuisine and enjoy live holiday entertainment. Included in this event will be the Gullah Rice Cookoff.

The Polar Express – Port Royal Library

On Saturday, Dec. 6 from 2 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., join Port Royal Library for a Santa meet and greet following a screening of the film.

On Saturday, Dec. 6, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Santa will be available for complimentary photos at Shellring Ale Works in Port Royal.

Light Up the Night Boat Parade – Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park

On Saturday, Dec. 6, at 5:30 p.m. at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort. Gather along the waterfront as brilliantly decorated boats glide across the Beaufort River in a dazzling procession of lights. Bring your chairs, your cocoa and your holiday spirit – this is a Beaufort favorite for a reason!

Hosted by Sprenger Health Care Port Royal and running from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Dec. 6, all are invited to the annual Breakfast with Santa where kids enjoy a magical morning filled with delicious food, fun games and photos with Santa himself.

Beginning at 1 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 7, the market will feature local vendors, food trucks, a visit and photo ops with Santa and Mrs. Claus and live holiday spirit on Bladen Street.

Christmas Parade – Downtown Beaufort

On Saturday, Dec. 7, at 3 p.m. in downtown Beaufort a festive lineup of floats, performers, community groups and of course Santa Claus, himself will make their way along the City of Beaufort’s traditional parade route with one small detour due to the construction at the intersection of Bay and Charles Streets. It’s one of Beaufort’s longest standing traditions and a joyful way to wrap up the weekend.

Mistletoe Market – The Beaufort Inn’s Tabby Place

Running from Thursday, Dec. 11 through Saturday, Dec. 13 from 4 to 8 p.m. each day, come sip, shop and support the local businesses that make Beaufort home. Shop local and support the local businesses that are feeling the impact of the ongoing construction downtown that is causing a shift in visitor patterns.

Jingle All the Way 5K – Coleman Hall (Building 2) of Technical College of the Lowcountry

Saturday, Dec. 13, beginning at 9 a.m. and hosted by the TCL PTA Club. The 5K run is open to all ages and all proceeds benefit TCL’s Physical Therapist Assistant program. There is a $30 donation per racer and deadline to register is Dec. 9 at www.tcl.edu/jingle.

Jingle Jammie Jam Dance Party – Revolution Ballroom

On Saturday, Dec. 13, beginning at 7 p.m. get cozy for some dance lessons, hot chocolate and cozy holiday PJ’s. Open to the public (18+), singles and couples are welcome. Admission is $20 at the door or online.

On Dec. 13, carts must be lined up at Helena Square by 5:45 p.m. and will head to Shellring after for the official After Party and Awards.

Free event from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14 in the Port Royal Pavillion. Free photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, refreshments and treats, facepainting and bounce houses.

On Dec. 20 at 4 p.m. join Santa at Mongolia Cafe for tea, house made soup and a chef curated savory and sweets tower. Reservations required. Call 843-816-8535 for more information.

Running through Dec. 27, the Cadd Family will be lighting up their area of Lady’s Island with their annual Christmas lights display. The display will run from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday and on Friday and Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. except when it rains.

New Year’s Eve Fireworks – Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park

On Dec. 31, at 9 p.m., bring in the New Year in downtown Beaufort at the Waterfront Park while watching fireworks along the Beaufort River.

Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at .

A new master plan for some of the last remaining undeveloped waterfront in Port Royal puts a premium on public access to the water and sets aside land for new restaurants and retail while also including a working marina.

The plan by developer Safe Harbor Marinas, which has officially been submitted to the town, was unveiled to the public for the first time Wednesday before a packed house of residents. No residents commented, but the plan received favorable remarks from town council members.

Besides the marina, two parks, a promenade fronting Battery Creek and restaurants and retail are part of the plan. One element that is absent, for now, is a residential housing development, which has long been envisioned for the area.

Port Royal considers the land overlooking Battery Creek its front porch and wants to see development that allows people to live and play there. Port Royal’s deep water port was attractive to Safe Harbor for marina services including boat storage and repair. The site is one of hundreds in its vast network of locations in the United States.

The master plan satisfies Safe Harbor’s desire for a working boatyard and marina and the town’s long-time quest for improved access, public space and restaurants and retail on Battery Creek, said Mayor Kevin Phillips. He described the plans as “beautiful.”

Competing visions

The competing visions of the small town and big marina operator clashed almost immediately after Safe Harbor purchased the 317-acre former South Carolina Ports Authority Property from Grey Ghost Properties in November 2021 for $20 million. About 50 acres of the site are buildable.

But past differences seemed to be in the past Wednesday when Phillips called Safe Harbor a “great partner” and Carla Ferguson, Safe Harbor’s Port Royal general manger, described the development pictured in the master plan a “generational” investment in modernizing and revitalizing the waterfront.

It was the first time since 2017, when developer Grey Ghost still controlled the property, that a real plan has been submitted to the town for approval, Phillips said. Others have just been concepts, he said.

Dan Keefer, a landscape architect with Witmer Jones Keefer, Ltd, a land planner hired by Safe Harbor Marinas, presented the master plan for the site.

The marina, he said, is permitted and “ready to go.” “Getting it permitted is probably harder than building it,” Keefer said.

Initial plans for Safe Harbor

Besides construction of the marina, here are highlights of the initial plans that Safe Harbor has for the property:

Phillips says residents will be able to walk or drive their golf carts to the water’s edge to enjoy the promenade or restaurants. The original plans did not have as much retail and restaurant space as the town wanted, but that has changed in the master plan submitted to the town, Phillips said. The town also wanted public space that could serve as a “centerpiece” for events such as concerts and festivals and the park satisfies that need, he said.

The park and the roads will be publicly owned, and the town expects to assist paying for them with a tax-increment financing district.

One piece that is still missing is residential housing.

Safe Harbor plans to sell that portion of the property to a residential developer, Phillips said. So who will buy it and what plans they will present remain unclear at this point.

Town, Safe Harbor were at odds over new project

The town and Safe Harbor were at odds for a few years over the differing visions for the area.

Negotiations culminated in a settlement agreement in February. Then in June, Town Council members approved key amendments to development and planned unit development agreements.

The agreement required Safe Harbor to submit a master plan for the property in six months, which the plan presented to the Town Council Wednesday satisfied, said Lawrence Flynn, an attorney for the town.

Flynn said the settlement agreement “reset” the conversation between the town and Safe Harbor “and recognized both needed each other.” The agreement gives Safe Harbor development rights for up to five years. The first phase of work runs from 2025 to 2028. The second phase will primarily be the housing and will run from 2028 to 2030.

Safe Harbor will build its own marina-related facilities and also be responsible for building the infrastructure. The areas set aside for retail and commercial development will require private investment.